Parenting is day and night, 24/7, clinging-to-grace and praying-in-faith. It's discipleship of our children and it's discipleship for us, because who can teach and not learn?

It's rewarding and it's exhausting and it makes you question your sanity, like I imagine a marathon would be.

My crazy husband and I ran a half-marathon. I paid money to expend every ounce of energy I could muster over 13.1 miles, to get blistered and chaffed, to fight off the urge to quit at mile 10 and the need for a potty at miles 5 through 12. For about the last 7 miles all I could think was, "I'm paying to do this?".

At the end we got oranges and bananas, some gatorade, and a t-shirt. Actually, we didn't even get the shirt because that was more money.

So parenting is tough like running, but the rewards are greater. Boxes full of drawings, paintings, macaroni necklaces, precious notes and baby teeth in sandwich bags. Morning-breath kisses, sticky faces, Dr. Seuss by heart, billions of questions, thousands of I love you's.

The rewards of parenting aren't always warm and fuzzy. A house full of sinners brings tension, lots of correction and training, and really the greatest reward is seeing the gospel work itself out in your children.

Sometimes I stop nagging long enough to allow grace to lead to repentance.

Oh happy day, when my children confess sin without being guilted into confession. When the Holy Spirit is unhindered and quietness brings conviction.

I have just an ounce of understanding of the joy of this verse:

"I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." - {Luke 15:7 NKJV}

Yes, we want to raise godly children. We want them to love Jesus and love their neighbor and overcome evil by doing good. But if we teach them the truths of scripture, that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, that Jesus came as a friend of sinners to seek and save the lost,

then every sin-moment is the perfect time and place for grace to pour in and for sinners to bring joy to their Savior.

And I give thanks for the repentance, not the sin. But without the realization of the one, the other is never needed.

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Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:

Who forgives all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from destruction,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,

Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.